I'd say that Neymar's agent trying to get a new contract. I doubt it's true.

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Well "willing to pay" and "offered" are two different things. Either way I wouldn't be surprised if they've spoken to Neymar's people. I also wouldn't be surprised if it was used to get him a fatter contract, though I don't think they need to make such efforts to achieve that aim.

He did, today. Coupled with yet another Barca offer.
And he's right, Marquinhos won't be a sub for all his life. He could very well be a top 5 defenseman AS OF NOW and yet he doesn't start.
Blanc also said a decision would have to be made this summer. No idea if the decision is selling Silva/Luiz or Marquinhos. But PSG should have a new triplet of CB next year.

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That's the thing with these concentrations of good to great CBs at the top clubs. Somebody has to sit.

Don't see Matuidi agreeing. He's a PSG heart and soul player, big leader and Ibra buddy. Everyone loves him. He's also excellent. I think he'd rather be a bench player with PSG than a starter in Chelsea, especially with them outside the CL.

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Well if it came down to him being a bench player then he'd have a decision to make. Of course were it out there that he'd consider moving I would think City and maybe United would join the race to sign him.

I agree though, I don't see him making that move even if they sign a Pogba. It would be a huge loss for PSG as well, though I'd welcome them making a few transfer blunders. Potential for them going forward is huge if they can keep everyone happy and they make the right decisions. If they could sign Pogba, bring back the likes of Areola and Digne as well as hold on to Cavani and Marquinhos they'd look even better than they do now. Of course they have four of the five players I mentioned under contract anyway, but their respective futures aren't all set in stone at the moment.

Really happy with this one. CL level starter at 24 on a free transfer. Saves a bit on transfer fees and a potential long term solution. His ability to play the ball from the back is key.

BILD also mentions Havard Nordtveit from BMG on a free too. DM whos also only 25.

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I'm not huge of Nordtveit.

Seems a bit of a tweener. Probably replaces Stewart in the squad if he comes as defense oriented utility player, but I doubt he is a Starting XI player. Might be a good addition though, especially on a free.

Seems a bit of a tweener. Probably replaces Stewart in the squad if he comes as defense oriented utility player, but I doubt he is a Starting XI player. Might be a good addition though, especially on a free.

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He could be a Lucas replacement imo. He seems like a good fit as a 6 for Klopp.

He could be a Lucas replacement imo. He seems like a good fit as a 6 for Klopp.

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Klopp the builder.

He could play that role too I guess depending on his aerial strength and his ability to gegenpress. I feel when Lucas is in the lineup sometimes the gegenpress suffers because he can't keep that pace, and is more a pure holder, which hurts the press in general. Not sure how that compares to Nordveidt, Kehl, Bender etc but that's how I would compare things.

He could play that role too I guess depending on his aerial strength and his ability to gegenpress. I feel when Lucas is in the lineup sometimes the gegenpress suffers because he can't keep that pace, and is more a pure holder, which hurts the press in general. Not sure how that compares to Nordveidt, Kehl, Bender etc but that's how I would compare things.

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Nordtveit isn't the quickest player, either, but there are other elements involved in Gegenpressing. Busquets for example is rather slow but probably the best in the world at Gegenpressing. It's probably more important to Klopp that he could keep running all match than that he has the absolute top speed. Other than Bender, Klopp's DMs in Dortmund weren't necessarily physically gifted.

Nordtveit isn't the quickest player, either, but there are other elements involved in Gegenpressing. Busquets for example is rather slow but probably the best in the world at Gegenpressing. It's probably more important to Klopp that he could keep running all match than that he has the absolute top speed. Other than Bender, Klopp's DMs in Dortmund weren't necessarily physically gifted.

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Oh, I agree its not about speed, but what I mean to say is in terms of position, Lucas is can be very stationary. Is that the case for Nordtveit? Is Nordtveit a better system fit by comparison? Am I phrasing this well haha

My thing is that Liverpool have bought squad level players recently, but it is time to improve the Starting XI too. Matip does that. I am not sure that Nordtviet does. Grujic probably doesn't either. If nothing else, Liverpool is definitely getting taller! being said I expect a healthy amount of turnover this summer.

Oh, I agree its not about speed, but what I mean to say is in terms of position, Lucas is can be very stationary. Is that the case for Nordtveit? Is Nordtveit a better system fit by comparison? Am I phrasing this well haha

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I think so, yeah. I do rate Lucas, actually. At least in the past I did. But players who are coming from Germany are far more likely to be adept in Gegenpressing than players who've only played in England, since it has definitely become a fad in Germany in recent years, and has barely been practiced in England. Gladbach never really played that similarly to Klopp's style under Favre. Now they gegenpress a lot, but it's more man-oriented than focused on closing passing and running lanes and really trapping players in situations where they're outnumbered and surrounded like Klopp's. So while it's very intense and requires a lot of running, it actually requires less intelligence from a player to execute: he's just following his man. Nordtveit has definitely been active enough to do this for 90 minutes, and I think he has good positional sense, too.

I think so, yeah. I do rate Lucas, actually. At least in the past I did. But players who are coming from Germany are far more likely to be adept in Gegenpressing than players who've only played in England, since it has definitely become a fad in Germany in recent years, and has barely been practiced in England. Gladbach never really played that similarly to Klopp's style under Favre. Now they gegenpress a lot, but it's more man-oriented than focused on closing passing and running lanes and really trapping players in situations where they're outnumbered and surrounded like Klopp's. So while it's very intense and requires a lot of running, it actually requires less intelligence from a player to execute: he's just following his man. Nordtveit has definitely been active enough to do this for 90 minutes, and I think he has good positional sense, too.